New guinea impatiens plant named `Balcebfro`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named &#39;Balcebfro&#39;, characterized by its numerous white-colored flowers; upright and mounded plant habit; medium to compact plant size; good basal branching; and dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name, `Balcebfro`.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new cultivars with excellent basal branching,compact upright growth habit, numerous large flowers, and interestingflower and foliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theImpatiens hawkeri cultivar `Moorea`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.9,147, as the male, or pollen parent, with the proprietary Impatienshawkeri selection BFP-505 as the female, or seed parent. The cultivar`Balcebfro` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environmentin Arroyo Grande, Calif., in December, 1996.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atArroyo Grande, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Balcebfro`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Balcebfro` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Numerous white-colored flowers.

2. Upright and mounded plant habit.

3. Medium to compact plant size.

4. Good basal branching.

5. Dark green leaves.

The new Impatiens can be compared to the parent cultivar `Moorea`.However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Arroyo Grande, Calif.,plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar `Moorea`in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are not as broad as plants of thecultivar `Moorea`.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely branching than plants ofthe cultivar `Moorea`.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely flowering, but haveslightly smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar `Moorea`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivar `Balcebfro` and thecultivar `Moorea` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photographcomprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of `Balcebfro`.Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may appear different thanthe actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar `Balcebfro` has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 10-cm pots inArroyo Grande, Calif., under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures about 20 to 22° C., night temperaturesabout 18 to 20° C., and light levels generally about 2,500 to 3,000footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Balcebfro`.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Impatiens hawkeri `Moorea`, disclosed in U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 9,147.

Female parent.--Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri selection BFP-505.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 7 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.--About 21 days at 18° C.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous, fine, freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.--Upright and mounded; medium to compact plant size.Appropriate for 10 and 12.5-cm containers.

Growth and branching habit.--Good basal branching with about six toeight lateral branches at the base, dense and bushy growth. Pinching,that is, removal of the terminal apices, is usually not required.

Crop time.--Starting with a rooted cutting, about ten weeks are requiredto produced a finished flowering plant in a 10-cm container.

Plant height.--About 13 to 14 cm.

Plant width.--About 16 to 19 cm.

Lateral branches.--Length: About 11 to 13 cm. Diameter: About 7 to 8 mm.Internode length: About 3 to 4 cm. Color: 144A.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, inwhorls or opposite. Length: About 6 to 8 cm. Width: About 2 to 3 cm.Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Serrate/ciliate. Texture: Slightly rugose; glabrous; glossy. Color:Young foliage, upper surface: Between 147A and 147B. Young foliage,lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 145B.Venation, lower surface: 145B. Petiole: Length: About 1.5 to 1.8 cm.Diameter: About 2 to 4 mm. Color: 149D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--White-colored flowers. Freely and continuouslyflowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually about eight or nineflowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned mostlyabove the foliage and typically face outward to upward. Flowersgenerally flat and rounded. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In thegarden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower longevity.--Flowers last about one week depending on temperature,light level, and water status.

Flower size.--Diameter: About 6 to 6.5 cm. Depth: About 1 cm.

Flower buds.--Length: About 1.5 to 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 9 to 11 mm.Shape: Elliptic. Color: 144D.

Petals.--Quantity: Five, overlapping. Length: About 2 to 3 cm. Width:About 3 to 4 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Entire. Texture: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened, uppersurface: 155D, iridescent. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:155D, iridescent. Upper surface fading to: Close to 11D, iridescent.

Spur.--Length: About 5.5 to 6.5 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color:145C.

Peduncles.--Length: About 4 to 5 cm. Angle: About 45° to the lateralbranch. Strength: Strong. Color: 145C.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused,filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollencolor: 4C. Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Ovary color: 144A.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Impatiens has notbeen observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CHARACTERISTIC `BALCEBFRO`  `MOOREA`                                          ______________________________________                                        PLANT HEIGHT   About 13 to 14 cm                                                                          About 13 to 14 cm                                 PLANT WIDTH    About 16 to 19 cm                                                                          About 19 to 24 cm                                 NUMBER OF LATERAL                                                                            About 6 to 8 About 4 to 6                                      BRANCHES                                                                      LATERAL BRANCH About 11 to 13 cm                                                                          About 8 to 9 cm                                   LENGTH                                                                        LATERAL BRANCH About 7 to 8 mm                                                                            About 8 to 9 mm                                   DIAMETER                                                                      INTERNODE LENGTH                                                                             About 3 to 4 cm                                                                            About 2 to 3 cm                                   LEAF LENGTH    About 6 to 8 cm                                                                            About 7 to 9 cm                                   LEAF WIDTH     About 2 to 3 cm                                                                            About 3 to 4 cm                                   LEAF COLOR, UPPER                                                                            147A         137A                                              SURFACE                                                                       LEAF COLOR, LOWER                                                                            147B         146B                                              SURFACE                                                                       QUANTITY OF    About 8 to 9 About 6 to 7                                      FLOWERS AND BUDS                                                              PER LATERAL STEM                                                              FLOWER DIAMETER                                                                              About 6 to 6.5 cm                                                                          About 6.5 to 7.5 cm                               PEDUNCLE COLOR 145C         144B                                              ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named `Balcebfro`, as illustrated and described.